A common form of aerobic exercise, step aerobics involves stepping up and down onto an elevated platform (a “step platform”) using various choreography. Depending on the desired workout, users may vary the type and speed of the movements, the step height, and the exercise duration. Healthy users often participate in step aerobics as a low-impact alternative to high impact aerobic exercise in order to burn calories, reduce stress, and improve functional fitness (e.g., balance, walking, agility, and flexibility). Injured users also utilize step aerobics for rehabilitation following an injury (e.g., an ankle, knee, and hip injury). Using the step platform, a user may focus on a particular muscle or muscle group, thereby accelerating functional fitness and/or rehabilitation.
Step platforms generally consist of a platform seated on a pair of risers that elevate the platform above the ground at a certain height. The risers may vary in height and be stacked on top of one another to raise the height of the platform. Step platforms are often constructed from hard plastics such that they are durable and provide a stable surface during use.
While the available step platforms may be helpful at lowering aerobic exercise impact on a user compared to hard surfaces (e.g., pavement, gym floor, etc.), they may lack cushioning to minimize the impact of repeatedly stepping onto and down from the step platform on a user's body. Further, the available step platforms may not allow for unstable surface training, which has particular advantages. For instance, training on an unstable surface may engage different muscles for balance in addition to a step, squat, or other exercise movement.
For unstable surface training, a user may require an additional device, such as a BOSU ball (i.e., a bottom half of an exercise ball attached to a flat top surface). Though BOSU balls may be helpful for certain movements (e.g. squats), users may have difficulty maintaining balance while stepping onto and down from the BOSU ball, which can lead to falls and additional injuries. Embodiments of the present invention address these needs as well as other needs that will become apparent upon reading the description below in conjunction with the drawings.